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Unified Cities of Preden
The Unified Cities of Preden is a federation of twelve cities (five major and seven minor) that occupy an area in northern Testupol. They are bordered by Skesta in the northeast and Azt in the south, with the Wruksea to the west and imperial client of Volst to the east. They are each ruled by a highborn family, the head of which is known as the Polisarch. Since their unification in 1058, the cities have been members of the Ustran League and are key allies to the western powers as well as a vital foothold for the league in Testupol's trading networks. The Grand Polisarchy of Preden Every seven years an assembly is held to elect a new capitol, usually chosen from among the five major cities. In 1288 this is Alabaster Throne, although the next election is in 1289. The Polisarchs, or their appointed representatives, gather in the current capital to choose the next seat of the Grand Polisarchy. This elevates one of the city states as the first among equals, and allows disputes between cities to be resolved in debates to the Grand Polisarch rather than in conflict. The current seat of the capital is not eligible to be re-elected in consecutive terms, although it is possible that a Polisarch could serve two non-consecutive ones if they live long enough. Voting is conducted in a series of run-offs with the city state gaining the fewest votes being eliminated in each round. The current Grand Polisarch is Nyrus Astis, Polisarch of Alabaster Throne. The Major Cities of Preden The five major cities of the union are Alabaster Throne, Goldenshore, Esvowruk, Ostersands and Deepsend. Every seven years these cities decide between their Polisarchs who will be appointed their primus inter pares leader as Grand Polisarch, responsible for the general direction of policy that the Unified Cities undertakes during their term. Former major cities include Westowruk, now a part of the Kefran territory, and Tesgate, control of which was ceded to the Valdon Empire after a brief but significant threat of war. Commissaries To ensure that the laws made in each city state are reasonably similar and consistent on a given topic, a skilled bureaucrat is given the task of overseeing the work of them. These bureaucrats are usually experienced judges or senior advisers to Polisarchs and are appointed at the discretion of the Grand Polisarch. Each commissary is granted the authority to review laws and amend them, albeit that they take into account the circumstances of the city state in question. Naturally, since these commissaries are lowborn, the Polisarchs are often frustrated or antagonised by having a higher power overseeing their work. If this friction becomes unmanageable they may appeal to the Grand Polisarch to replace their commissary. The only area which commissaries are not permitted to intervene is on the banishment of individuals or organisations. Curiously, the Council of Commissaries maintains seats for the formerly appointed commissaries to Westowruk and Tesgate. These commissaries are occasionally appointed to fulfil a specific diplomatic function rather than to oversee the work of a foreign nation's lawmakers. Diplomatic Relations The city states are usually very close-knit. Their survival depends on their unity, after all, as none of the individual cities has the military or economic power to stand alone. That being said, they disagree on a great many things and the most stark of these is foreign relations. In general, the City States of Preden align themselves to the Ustran League. Though the Empire of Valdon sits directly south of the Tesh, and as a result presents a more proximate threat, the ability of Preden's Sarioli allies to protect them confers a security that could only be received from the Empire by joining it, which the Polisarchs unanimously agree would be too great a sacrifice of their sovereignty.